A young doctor has admitted to forging prescriptions for
weight-loss drugs to help keep her awake during long working
hours.
The doctor appeared in the Auckland District Court last week
and pleaded guilty to two fraud charges after she wrote
prescriptions for the drugs over an 18-month period, The New
Zealand Herald reported.
An earlier hearing, the court was told the doctor forged the
prescriptions to obtain sibutramine hydrochloride, also known
as Reductil, because fellow doctors told her they were using
the substance to help stay awake.
Her defence lawyer said the doctor was not a drug addict and
the offending happened at a time of great stress before an
upcoming rotation working long hours in a hospital emergency
room.
"She was afraid of killing someone by missing something," her
lawyer said.
The New Zealand Resident Doctors' Association issued a
warning to members soon after the doctor was first charged.
"If you are using medication to stay awake, this is extremely
unsafe and the RDA advises against it.
"The risk to your patients, your medical career and your
reputation is far too great," the email said.
Struggling doctors were told to contact the union if the
working roster was a problem.
The doctor will be sentenced this month.
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